
Genius Unbroken
The Life and Legacy of Dr. Charles R. Drew
Craig A. Miller(Author)
Charlene Drew Jarvis(Co-Author)
Georgetown University Press
Published on 2. September 2025
Book
Hardback
328 pages
978-1-64712-611-7 (ISBN)
Description
The first comprehensive biography of the "Father of the Blood Bank" and a champion of civil rights and equal health care
Genius Unbroken is the first comprehensive biography to bring the extraordinary life of Dr. Charles Drew, the "Father of the Blood Bank," into focus. Born into Washington D.C.'s vibrant African American community at the turn of the twentieth century, Drew rose on the strength of extraordinary physical and intellectual talents to become a groundbreaking medical research scientist. He pioneered methods of blood and plasma storage, leading America's first large-scale blood bank: innovations that continue to save lives around the world. A gifted surgeon and educator, Drew also became an eloquent and powerful advocate of civil rights, especially equal health care, for African Americans. Tragically, while still a young man, he lost his life while travelling to a medical conference that provided free care to indigent patients.
Researched and developed through an intimate collaboration with Drew's daughter, Dr. Charlene Drew Jarvis, Miller encapsulates the life of Dr. Drew in a profound exploration of one man's challenge to institutional barriers in creating lasting change. Readers will find in Genius Unbroken the story of Dr. Drew's seminal and life-saving work while his life offers an enduring lesson in resilience, intellectual triumph, and the transformative power of unwavering determination.
Genius Unbroken is the first comprehensive biography to bring the extraordinary life of Dr. Charles Drew, the "Father of the Blood Bank," into focus. Born into Washington D.C.'s vibrant African American community at the turn of the twentieth century, Drew rose on the strength of extraordinary physical and intellectual talents to become a groundbreaking medical research scientist. He pioneered methods of blood and plasma storage, leading America's first large-scale blood bank: innovations that continue to save lives around the world. A gifted surgeon and educator, Drew also became an eloquent and powerful advocate of civil rights, especially equal health care, for African Americans. Tragically, while still a young man, he lost his life while travelling to a medical conference that provided free care to indigent patients.
Researched and developed through an intimate collaboration with Drew's daughter, Dr. Charlene Drew Jarvis, Miller encapsulates the life of Dr. Drew in a profound exploration of one man's challenge to institutional barriers in creating lasting change. Readers will find in Genius Unbroken the story of Dr. Drew's seminal and life-saving work while his life offers an enduring lesson in resilience, intellectual triumph, and the transformative power of unwavering determination.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Washington, DC
United States
Target group
US School Grade: College Graduate Student and over
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
36 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
603 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-64712-611-7 (9781647126117)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
09/2025
Georgetown University Press
€28.99
Available for download
Persons
Craig Alan Miller, M.D., is a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon and author of three books on medicine and medical history, The Making of a Surgeon in the Twentieth Century; The Big Z: The Life of Robert M. Zollinger; and A Time for All Things: The Life of Michael E. DeBakey.
Charlene Drew Jarvis is a neuroscientist, politician, and educational leader. She was elected six times to the Council of the District of Columbia (1979-2000) and served as President of Southeastern University.
Charlene Drew Jarvis is a neuroscientist, politician, and educational leader. She was elected six times to the Council of the District of Columbia (1979-2000) and served as President of Southeastern University.